posted
Anyone dunnit? What was your experience? What were your symptoms at the time? How long was the flight?
Not likely to get adequate treatment here, closest thing to an LLMD is an ID! (not to mention a GP who believes that my positive IGM is insignificant)
My sister is visiting me now, and am considering flying back with her. Over 11 hour flight, and I'm very scared: Severe air hunger, autonomic stuff (diagnosed as POTS), and pressure in my head (possible meningitis/encephalitis)
When my POTS symptoms were at this poiint a couple of years ago, the autonomic specialist told me not to fly. But I feel that if I don't, I will continue to deteriorate.
Big decision
Advice? My sister leaves in a few days... thanks
Posts: 169 | From former Philadelphian | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
I have flown with neurolyme, but much shorter times. It did not bother me. However, 11 hours is a very long time, so I don't know what to advise.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
I have flown a couple of times since my Lyme diagnosis (both times to see an LLMD), and both times my left eye changed temporarily immediately after the flight. I wear glasses, but everything was a little doubled. The right eye was fine. Weird.
Other than that, I noticed no side effects from flying, except for possibly catching whatever cold someone had on the plane.
dontlikeliver
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4749
posted
I take 8 hour flights every 4 months or so. I have not had any problems. Stay hydrated (bigtime) and buy a saline nasal spray (if you're allowed it on the plane) and spray up your nose every couple of hours to hydrate mucus membranes and flush our germs, to avoid getting sick.
DLL
Posts: 2824 | From The Back of Beyond | Registered: Oct 2003
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
I fly very often, before treatment when I had Lyme for many years, and since treatment. My longest flight was 9 hours straight. I have autonomic stuff as well, not diagnosed as POTS though.
I used to get severe ear pain when landing. This was before diagnosis. It started after an upper respiratory infection that I was put on codeine for because it felt like somebody was sticking ice pics in my ears. Fun.
That ear pain would return whenever I flew for many years. My solution was to take a decongestant, advil and motion sickness medicine. The decongestant would keep me clear to reduce the pressure, but that might be ill advised with POTS because they screw with blood pressure and pulse. The motion sickness medicine was good because it knocked me out so I would sleep through the pain.
That pain stopped. Now my biggest issue is really low back pain. So I take a pillow with me, or grab one when I get on the pain, to use for lumbar support.
If you do have pain, I advise taking the pain killer before you get on. Some pain killers can make you nauseous with motion.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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Went for a walk and got woozy enough to have to sit on the sidewalk.
One thing for sure, I am not going to fly if I may have encephalitis.
It's obvious I need to come in, the question is when.
I think it makes sense now to try to get some kind of treatment to hold me over enough to make it not feel risky to fly. We have a family wedding in November, maybe I can convince someone to give me oral antibiotics until then.
Saw an ID today to humor my GP, she basically rolled her eyes when I told her I have a positive blood test, told me she didn't recognize this lab, and won't even begin to consider that I may have it until I have a positive lyme test through her own lab
Which test do they run, I asked. She had no idea. But she did know that there are thousands of patients WITH POSITIVE BLOODWORK who think they have it, but don't. I would have done much better today with syphillis. Posts: 169 | From former Philadelphian | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
Does riding in a car bother you? Or elevators? These symptoms seem to be more related to Babesia than Lyme for hubby.
Hubby does fly to see his LLMD. The flying itself is probably less of a problem than the waiting in airports to make connecting flights and the 3 hour drive to the LLMD from the airport.
His longest flight has been around 2 hours (the only time we got a direct flight) but we did get stuck in the plane during a summer thunderstorm waiting for takeoff for about 3 1/2 hours once.
I have had to give him IV Ativan in most airports and on the plane several times. There was one time I was very concerned that I might have to ask for medical attention from the flight attendant. Managed to calm things down with the combo of IV Ativan, IV Glutathione and IV Heparin.
His seizure-like episodes have improved significantly, but I am debating on whether to rescedule his September LLMD appointment because of all the new restrictions. His meds need to be kept cool and I have always taken the cooler with 4 -6 of those gel ice packs on the plane before.
I got your p.m. Will send you some info in the next day or two.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
I flew 9 hours to Amsterdam in April - I had truly been on the mend but the flight was a definite setback. My symptoms went nuts when I arrived. It was a relaxing river cruise so I was okay. My LLMD said next time she would send oxygen with me because there is very little on airplanes and Lyme loves lack of oxygen.
There won't be a next time (not much of a Europe fan) so I'm not going to worry about that.
If you have to fly now, consider oxygen. Good luck! Julie
Posts: 351 | From La Crosse, WI | Registered: Sep 2005
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HEATHERKISS
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6789
posted
I still have siezures......... from lyme so I guess that would be nuero........
Anyway plane rides can be tough. for me more than 4 hours usually meant seizures with puking or loss of bladder control.
It's just so uncomfortable on the plane. Only thing that helps is if I'm sedated. xanax works.
Go for it. Even dramameen is good. or benyadyl.
I'm not a dr. I'm just telling you what worked for me.
If you plan to try my advice and have never taken any of these meds..........
can't beleive I'm saying this........
Try it at home first.
Good luck
-------------------- HEATHER
Posts: 1974 | From ABERDEEN, NJ 07747 | Registered: Jan 2005
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posted
I have flown with neuro-lyme and was just fine. However when I hiked up to the top of the volcano in Hawaii where there is little oxygen I completely relapsed.
Posts: 293 | From healdsburg, ca , sonoma | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
I recently took a long flight to and from the east coast and had noticible shortness of breath after about 2 hours in the air. Apparently, hypoxia from the lower concentration of oxygen (partly due to airlines economizing on the fresh air, see http://www.flyana.com/ for more on this) can be to blame. For those of us with chemical sensitivity, there is also the problem of pesticides on international flights, plus all the jet fuel, etc. which ends up in the airstream.
The shortness of breath was on top of lots of muscle pain, headache, and really awful earache. I've had these symptoms for years but was only recently diagnosed.
The ways I deal with it are an aisle seat from which I get up every 30 minutes, lots of supportive pillows, earplugs & Bose headphones, lots of water and vicodin. This time, I even bought an extra seat so my partner and I had a row of 3 to stretch out into. Still, it was pretty horrible. Feeling like it's just not worth it to fly anywhere these days.
Has anyone tried asking for oxygen on the plane, and does it help?
Good luck with your travel. I hope your symptoms aren't as severe!
Posts: 47 | From California | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
Some POTS patients do better with oxygen on the plane.
I was just given oral biaxin for 2 weeks. I know it's not a lot, but if I feel somewhat better, I may attempt the flight, and then only with oxygen and possible IV fluids.
Posts: 169 | From former Philadelphian | Registered: Jun 2006
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